Compensation

How we assess your disability or condition

To get Disability Support Pension (DSP), you need to provide medical evidence from your treating health professionals. We need this to understand how your disability or condition currently affects you and to correctly assess your claim.

When you give us your medical evidence with your claim we’ll initially check if you’re manifestly medically eligible. We check if you:

Fully diagnosed, treated and stabilised

If you’re not manifestly medically eligible, we need to assess if your disability or condition is fully diagnosed, treated and stabilised. We’ll do this by reviewing your medical evidence and usually by talking with you or your treating health professionals.

Fully diagnosed

To decide if your disability or condition is fully diagnosed we assess if:

a qualified medical professional examined you

you have medical evidence about your disability or condition

Fully treated

To decide if your disability or condition is fully treated we assess if:

you’ve received treatment or rehabilitation for the disability or condition

treatment will continue or you have a plan for the next 2 years

Fully stabilised

To decide if your disability or condition is fully stabilised we assess if:

treatment will help you work 15 hours or more a week in the next 2 years, or

there are medical or other reasons why you can’t receive treatment

Impairment rating

If we assess your disability or condition as fully diagnosed, treated and stabilised, we’ll also assess how it affects your ability to function each day. You may need to attend a Job Capacity Assessment to help us assess this using Impairment Tables.

There are 15 Impairment Tables and they’re used to give an impairment rating that helps us assess if you’re eligible for DSP.

You can read more about Impairment Tables on the Department of Social Services website.

Work capacity

In the Job Capacity Assessment we’ll also assess how your disability or condition affects your ability to work.

You may be medically eligible

You may be medically eligible for DSP if your disability or condition stops you from working 15 hours a week or more in the next 2 years and we give an impairment rating of:

20 points or more on a single Table, or

20 points or more combined across more than 1 Table - if this is your rating, you also need to have completed a Program of Support

You’re not medically eligible

You’re not medically eligible if we assess that your disability or condition:

isn’t fully diagnosed, treated or stabilised, or

has an impairment rating of less than 20 points, or

doesn’t stop you from working 15 hours a week or more a week in the next 2 years

Example 1 – not fully treated

Brian reduced his hours of work due to a bad hip and has claimed DSP. Brian’s medical evidence shows he’s waiting to have his hip replaced. The operation is in 3 months and his doctor says Brian will need another 3 months to recover. His doctor also recently diagnosed Brian with depression. The clinical psychologist who is now treating Brian confirmed the diagnosis and that his condition isn’t stabilised.

We review Brian’s medical evidence and find his hip condition is not fully treated because treatment is ongoing and his operation is likely to improve his condition. As Brian’s conditions are expected to improve within the next 2 years they’re not considered fully treated and stabilised.

Brian isn’t eligible for DSP.

Example 2 – impairment rating of less than 20 points

Natalie is physically fit but has reduced her hours of work due to a mental health condition. She’s received treatment for her condition for many years from her GP and from a clinical psychologist. They both report Natalie’s condition is stable. Natalie’s condition affects her day to day activities. She finds most activities difficult such as relationships, concentration, completing tasks, planning, decision making and full time work.

Natalie attends a Job Capacity Assessment where the assessor gives her a 10 point impairment rating under Impairment Table 5. Natalie’s impairment rating is less than the 20 points needed to be medically eligible.

Natalie isn’t eligible for DSP.

Medical evidence

Why we need medical evidence

To help us work out if you can get DSP, we need to know how your disability or condition currently affects you.

To do this, we need medical evidence from your treating health professionals about your disability or conditions. In most cases, we need evidence for each disability or condition that affects your ability to work.

If you don’t give us medical evidence when we ask you to, we may reject your DSP claim or stop your DSP payment.

If you’re having problems with medical evidence contact us. We can look at your situation and discuss your options.

Types of medical evidence

You can give us medical evidence such as:

medical history records or reports

specialist medical reports

psychologist reports, including IQ testing

special school reports

other reports such as physiotherapy or audiology reports

medical imaging reports – not x-rays

physical examination reports

compensation and rehabilitation reports

hospital or outpatient records including details of operations

Most disabilities or conditions need evidence from a health professional, such as your usual treating doctor.

Disabilities or conditions that may need specialist evidence

Mental health conditions

We need evidence that a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist supports the diagnosis.

Intellectual disability

We need an assessment of intellectual function and adaptive behavior supported by a psychologist. This should include information about your IQ score, or ability to undergo testing. A report from your special school may have this information.

Ear conditions affecting hearing or balance

We need evidence that an audiologist or an ear, nose and throat specialist supports the diagnosis.

Eye conditions affecting vision

We need evidence that an ophthalmologist or ophthalmic surgeon supports the diagnosis.

What we need to know

Submit a completed claim with all required medical evidence, information and documents. This allows us to assess your claim faster. Your medical evidence should support what you’ve put in the medical details section of your claim.

The evidence we need to assess your claim or medical review depends on your disability or condition and how it affects you.

In all cases, your medical evidence should:

show your diagnosed disability or condition

show how your disability or condition currently affects you

include the name and contact details of your doctors and specialists

Diagnosis

We need to confirm:

the diagnosis of your disability or condition

the date of your diagnosis

the name and contact details of the doctor or specialist that diagnosed your disability or condition

If you get DSP and we’ve asked you to give us medical evidence for a medical review, you may not need to get new evidence confirming diagnosis if you’ve given this to us before.

If you have questions

Disability Medical Assessment

The assessment

If you’ve had a Job Capacity Assessment, you may also need to attend a Disability Medical Assessment with a Government-contracted Doctor.

The Government-contracted Doctor will assess your medical evidence to help us decide if you’re medically eligible for DSP.

All our Government-contracted Doctors are qualified and trained to do assessments. They may contact your own doctor or specialist for more information.

Sonic HealthPlus conduct the assessments. There is no charge for this service. Allow up to an hour for your assessment.

Your appointment

If you need to attend an assessment, Sonic HealthPlus will contact you to make an appointment.

If you don’t attend your appointment, we may:

reject your claim

cancel your DSP, or

stop your DSP until you attend

If you can’t attend your appointment, you must tell Sonic HealthPlus no later than 24 hours before the appointment.

If you need to discuss your appointment after you’ve booked it, call the Sonic HealthPlus Disability Medical Assessment Contact Centre on 1300 295 822. They are open from 8 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday.

Program of Support

Program of Support providers

These providers work with you to help you prepare for, find and keep a job. This may include help with looking for jobs, studying, work experience or rehabilitation.

Other programs may also count if you started the program before 5 January 2015.

Participation in a Program of Support

To show you’ve actively participated in a Program of Support you must comply with the program and show either of the following:

you participated in the program for at least 18 months (78 weeks) in the 3 years before claiming

if the length of the program was less than 18 months, you completed the program, or

your condition stopped you from improving your ability to prepare for, find and keep a job by continuing to participate in the program

You must actively participate in a Program of Support for it to count. Any periods where your participation stops don’t count.

Example 1 – Dev’s program stopped due to his condition

Dev is 26 years old. He worked in the construction industry until he suffered a head injury in a car accident. After recovering from his injury, Dev had difficulty with concentration and memory. He was unable to go back to his job as a carpenter. However, he was happy to look for work with help from an employment services provider.

Unfortunately, Dev’s condition got worse over time. He then developed epilepsy and the government suspended his driver’s license. Dev had only done 50 weeks of the Program of Support in the 3 years before claiming DSP.

Dev attends a Job Capacity Assessment. The assessor looks at the medical evidence and gives Dev a 10 point impairment rating under Table 7 for the functional impact of his head injury. He also has a 10 point rating under Table 15 for the functional impact of his seizures. Dev’s overall impairment rating is 20 points split over 2 tables.

Dev needs to show he has actively taken part in a Program of Support for at least 18 months in the 3 years before claiming DSP. Dev’s medical conditions meant he couldn’t participate in the program.

We still consider Dev to have completed a Program of Support because the employment services provider stopped the program due to Dev’s medical conditions.

Example 2 – Tony didn’t start a program

Tony has had obesity since his teens. He worked as a storeman for 35 years. He’s been finding it more difficult to do physical work and resigns. He applies for DSP a few months later.

Tony attends a Job Capacity Assessment. The assessor looks at the medical evidence and gives Tony a 10 point impairment rating under Table 1 for fatigue caused by obesity. He also has a 10 point rating under Table 4 for back pain secondary to obesity. Tony’s overall impairment rating is 20 points split over 2 tables.

Tony needs to show he’s actively taken part in a Program of Support for at least 18 months in the 3 years before claiming DSP. Tony never started a Program of Support because he was working shortly before claiming DSP.

Tony isn’t eligible for DSP because he never started a Program of Support.

regularly check that your information is up to date through your myGov account

It is never too late to report a change. By telling us about any changes today, we can help make sure you receive the correct payment.

If you have received payments you are not eligible for, you may have to repay the amount plus a recovery fee. Having to repay a debt may be difficult but choosing not to tell us your circumstances change could lead to far more serious consequences.

If you deliberately do not tell us when your circumstances change, you could be committing fraud.

a reconnection to a work activity if you have a mental health condition

Your payment

To keep getting DSP you must:

go to all your interviews

sign your participation plan, and

do the compulsory activity in your plan

Tell us if you can’t do these things. Call us if you need extra help to attend your interviews.

If your medical condition changes

If you give us medical evidence showing your condition has changed, we may send you for an Employment Services Assessment. This will help us work out how the changes affect your participation needs and what help you need to find and keep work.

Hours you can work

You can work less than 30 hours a week and still get Disability Support Pension (DSP). The amount you get depends on how much income you earn.

Types of reporting

When you start getting a payment, we’ll tell you when you need to report your and your partner’s earnings. There are 2 types of reporting.

Scheduled reporting

Most people need to report every 14 days. We call this your reporting period. We’ll tell you when your reporting period starts and ends. You must report your and your partner’s income for the most recent reporting period.

Unscheduled reporting

If we don’t give you a reporting period, you must still tell us if your or your partner’s income changes. You must tell us about any changes within 14 days. You can only tell us about your income changes by calling us on your usual payment line.

What to report

We need to know how much you and your partner earn. This is so we can pay you the right amount. If your earnings change, even by a small amount, you need to tell us.

Keep records

Standard pay rate

Employers will include the date, hours you worked, and your hourly rate on your payslips.

If they don’t, divide the gross pay on your payslip by the hours on your payslip. This gives you your standard hourly rate unless some hours were at another pay rate. Ask your pay office if it’s not clear.

Add up the hours you worked in the reporting period and multiply the total hours worked by your standard hourly rate. This gives you your income to report unless some hours were at another pay rate.

Find out more about payslips and what your employer should include on the Fair Work Ombudsman website.

Other pay rates

Overtime and penalty work have different hourly pay rates.

There are ways to help you keep track of when you work:

write down your overtime or penalty hours every time you work - don’t try to remember it at the end of the reporting period

keep a record of the roster for the fortnight you work if you can

Once you have these details there are ways to help you keep track of your pay rates during a reporting period:

find out from your pay office what your hourly overtime or penalty pay rate is

multiply your pay rate by the number of hours you worked at that rate - this will give you the total amount you earned

add this amount to the total you earned at your standard pay rate

Leave payments

If you take leave from work you need to report how much of your income in the reporting period was:

paid leave

hours you worked, including any paid sick leave hours

If you don’t have mutual obligation requirements, you have 14 days to tell us about leave earnings at a different rate from your normal wages.

You also need to tell us if your employer pays you for leave you built up but didn’t take time off for. We count this differently from other leave.

Job income – fixed unit rates

Some people get a set amount for each item of work they finish rather than an hourly rate.

If you get a fixed unit rate, you can keep track of your total income rates during a reporting period by:

When to report

If you have scheduled reporting

Each time you put in a report we’ll tell you what your next reporting date is. Report by 5 pm on your reporting date to make sure we can pay you on time.

You can’t report before your reporting date unless it’s on a public holiday. We’ll tell you if you need to report on a different day.

If you report late

If you report late, your payment could be late. You can report online up to 13 days after your reporting date. If you’re more than 13 days late, you need to call us or visit a service centre.

If you don’t report your income

If you have mutual obligation requirements and don’t report how much you earned, we won't pay you.

If you don’t have a regular reporting schedule

When you first get a payment we’ll tell you when you need to report. If we don’t give you a regular reporting schedule, you must tell us within 14 days if you or your partner’s income changes. The only way you can tell us about changes is by calling your usual payment line.

Debt

If you report the wrong amount of income or don’t tell us about changes of circumstances, we may pay you too much. This means you’ll have a debt to pay back.

you get a job that will last for at least 6 weeks and is likely to reduce your income support payment by at least 50%

you get a job and don't have enough money to pay for something you need to start it, or

you or your partner did work that reduced your income support by at least 50% and your employer hasn’t paid you for it

Mobility Allowance Advance

You can only get one advance in 12 months.

The amount of the advance payment is equal to 13 fortnightly payments of Mobility Allowance.

Your normal Mobility Allowance stops until the end of the time the advance covers. This can be up to 6 months. We may restart your normal payments earlier if you start being eligible for a higher rate.

You can’t increase or decrease your repayment amounts.

How to apply

It's best to apply online or with the Express Plus mobile app.

When you apply you must tell us your income and expenses. We need these to check if you can repay us.

Online

If you already have a myGov account

If you have a Centrelink online account

To do your business online, you need a myGov account and a Centrelink online account.

If you don't have a myGov account, create one today. Once you have created your account, you can link it to your Centrelink online account. Watch the video and read more on how to link your online account to myGov.

If you go on weekly payments you can’t get immediate or urgent payments.

How it works

You need to talk to us to get weekly payments.

If we say yes, your next income support payment and any Rent Assistance will be half what we would pay you for the fortnight. The amount depends on your income, assets and any automatic deductions. You get the other half 7 days later.

Back to normal

When things improve, you go back to fortnightly payments. You can ask to do this any time.

Apply

Call us on your regular payment line if you want to apply for weekly payments.

Review

You can’t be on weekly payments for longer than you need to.

After 6 months of weekly payments we talk to you to check if you still need them. We do this in person or by phone. We ask about:

your budget

your money problems, and

where you’re living

If you stay on weekly payments, we do another review 12 months later.

Income reporting

Once you start working you can’t get weekly payments. We automatically adjust your payments back to fortnightly.

Pension Supplement

Payment rate after 26 weeks

You’ll get your full means tested rate of pension, if you lived in Australia as an Australian resident:

for 35 years between age 16 and age pension age, or

for 25 years between age 16 and age pension age, if you were getting Disability Support Pension outside Australia on 1 July 2014 and haven’t returned and stayed in Australia for 26 weeks since then, or

when your inability to work or permanent blindness happened

If you weren’t an Australian resident when your inability to work or permanent blindness happened your rate of payment may change after 26 weeks outside Australia. We use the length of time you were an Australian resident between 16 years of age and age pension age to decide your rate

Example 3 – you get a full means tested rate

You arrived in Australia in June 2005. You were permanently and severely impaired due to an accident in 2012, while an Australian resident.

You get the full means tested rate of Disability Support Pension.

Example 4 – you don’t get a full means tested rate

You arrived in Australia in June 2005 after you were already permanently and severely impaired. In June 2016 you left Australia after 11 years as an Australian resident.

You get 11/35ths of you full means tested rate of Disability Support Pension.

Who we review in February

have an account based or market linked income stream that is not from a self-managed super fund or small APRA fund; and

are paid your pension:

under the assets test, or

under the income test and is within $10,000 of the crossover point from being income tested to asset tested

We may be able to get your details straight from the income stream provider. In this case you won’t get a review letter.

What you need to provide

If we need information from you, we’ll send you a review letter.

Review letter

We’ll write to you in early August or early February asking you to complete the income stream review.

If you get letters from us online, we’ll send you an SMS or email to say the review letter is in your online account.

The letter lists your and your partner’s income streams. You need to give us details for each of these.

Details we need

Account based or market linked income streams

For account-based income streams that started before 1 January 2015 and assessed under the old rules and for market-linked income streams, you need to tell us:

what the account balance was on the most recent 1 July

the new annual income amount for this financial year

any lump sums you took out in the last financial year, other than your normal payments

For account-based income streams that started before 1 January 2015 and assessed under the new rules or for those started on or after 1 January 2015 you just need to tell us the most recent 1 July or later account balance.

You do not have to provide us with a new income stream schedule.

Asset test exempt lifetime or life expectancy income streams

For these income streams you need to provide an actuarial certificate. This must:

state that your fund can keep paying the income stream

have a date on it showing it is current - between 1 July and 31 December of the current year

If you don’t give us this document by 31 December of the current financial year, your income stream may stop being exempt from the assets test.

Online with a one time access code

We’ll send you an One Time Access Code (OTAC) in the review letter. This is a secure way to provide your details online.

You can do this yourself or get someone you trust to do it for you. You’ll need to tell them:

the OTAC

your customer reference number (CRN)

Don’t ask someone to do your income stream review for you if you have any worries about telling them your CRN. If you provide third parties your OTAC, this only allows them to complete your Income Stream Review online. They will not be able to view or change any other details.

Cashless Debit Card

Where

Kununurra and Wyndham in the East Kimberly region of Western Australia

As part of the Government’s 2017–18 budget announcement, the Cashless Debit Card is being expanded into 2 new areas that will start in early 2018. These areas are the:

Goldfields region in Western Australia, and

Federal electorate of Hinkler in Queensland – this is the Bundaberg and Hervey Bay region

Who it affects

Ceduna, Kununurra and Wyndham

If you live in the current Cashless Debit Card areas of Ceduna, South Australia or East Kimberley region, Western Australia and are getting a working age payment, you will get a Cashless Debit Card.

The Goldfields region in Western Australia

If you live in the Goldfields region in Western Australia, and are getting a working age payment, you may get a Cashless Debit Card when the card rolls out in early 2018.

The Hinkler electorate in Queensland

If you are living in the Hinkler electorate in Queensland (Bundaberg and Hervey Bay region) you may get a Cashless Debit Card when the card rolls out from early 2018. This may affect you if you’re 35 and under at the start date and getting one of the following payments:

Youth Allowance as a job seeker

Newstart, or

Parenting Payment

How it works

A Cashless Debit Card looks and works like a normal bank debit card, except you can’t use it to buy alcohol, gamble, or get cash out.

You still get your full payment but it’s in 2 parts. Some goes to your normal bank account and the rest goes to your cashless debit card.

Resources

News for people with disability

Disability champion videos

These Disability Champions talk about the inspiring things they have done with their lives, and how they manage their disability while achieving their goals.

Sam

In this video, Sam talks to us about how his severe sensorineural hearing loss hasn't stopped him from chasing his dreams of becoming a Forensic Psychologist. Sam is on the Disability Support Pension and is studying at TAFE to work towards his chosen career.

Sam tells us about how it hasn't been an easy road for him and how some days it's difficult to manage with a hearing loss. He says no matter how great the burden or emotional strain is, if you always stick to your values you'll come out on top.

Colleen

In this video, Colleen talks to us about how a back injury at work changed her entire life. Colleen had to give up her job in a department store and go onto Disability Support Pension. Colleen also tells us about how she had to 're-invent' herself.

When Colleen started volunteer work, she discovered what she wanted to do with her career. Colleen is now studying community services at TAFE and is hoping to one day set up a support group for women with low self-esteem. She says she ‘now has an exciting pathway ahead of her and is hoping to go to university’.

Jo

In this video, Jo talks to us about how she has suffered with health problems her whole life and how it nearly got the better of her. Jo thought she would never get well again but after seeing a psychiatrist who talked her into coming to see us, she was surprised at all the help and options available.

After being referred by Centrelink to a Disability Employment Service provider, Jo was able to access a number of support services. Jo is now running her own painting classes, goes to the gym regularly and says she is looking forward to a different future.

Danielle

In this video, Danielle talks to us about how study and party planning have helped her come out of her shell, meet new people and earn extra money. Danielle, who has diabetes, tells us that 3 years ago she thought she had no future, but with support she has turned her life around. Danielle has made a remarkable transformation and is studying a Bachelor of Business. She says the most important thing she has learnt is to never give up.

Tonia

In this video, Tonia talks to us about how obtaining a part-time job at her local deli has made her feel independent, capable and really good about herself. Tonia has a connective tissue disorder and has been applying for different jobs over the last 10 years without success due to her medical condition. Initially, Tonia thought she would only last a few months in her deli job, but the support shown by her employer and knowing her employer relies on her, has motivated Tonia to keep up with her medication and undertake more exercise to make her stronger and better at managing her job. This part time job has given Tonia so much more time than she ever imagined.

Neil

In this video, our Disability Champion Neil talks about how he has learnt to manage his disability and study full time. After being diagnosed with a kidney disorder, Neil had to give up his job and he found it hard to adjust to this change. Neil spoke to us and was surprised by the amount of support, options and services available to him. Neil is now looking at what he wants to do with his future and says there are so many possibilities for him.

Bec

In this video, our Disability Champion Bec, talks about how autism has affected her ability to work. We also hear how Bec's determination, understanding of her disability and support network all come together to help her achieve her goals. Bec has surprised everyone, especially her parents.

Kristalee

In this video, our Disability Champion Kristalee talks about how she manages her disability and achieved her goals. After being hit by a car that left her with a brain injury, doctors told Kristalee that she would never work full time again. Kristalee went into a state of deep depression and fear. Kristalee persevered and is now running her own successful business. Kristalee says, ‘the sky is the limit’.

Paul

In this video, Paul talks to us about how working part time for Trolleys has helped him gain new skills, friends and confidence. Paul tells us how his learning difficulties made school a real struggle for him and that he had no confidence. Since starting part time work, Paul says he is very proud of his job, loves being outdoors and will continue to work for Trolleys until he retires.

Regular deductions using Centrepay

This information is a general guide to our payments and services from www.humanservices.gov.au. It is based on user selections from the ‘customise and print’ option. It may not include all of the information on this topic.

This information was printed on 27 September 2017 from https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/disability-support-pension

It is subject to the website disclaimer at https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/site-notices